Latest news with #Rooker
Newsweek
22-07-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Blockbuster Mock Trade Sends $60 Million Home Run Derby Star To Giants
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. FanSided's Quinn Everts recently pitched a hypothetical mock trade that would send Athletics slugger Brent Rooker to the San Francisco Giants in exchange for top prospects Carson Whisenhunt and Dakota Jordan. "In this deal, the Giants get Rooker, while the Athletics get Whisenhunt (No. 2 Giants prospect) and Jordan (No. 5 Giants prospect), two guys who should be able to help a big league club within the next few years," Everts wrote. "On a team with young talent like the A's, that timeline might fit a little better than Rooker's does. "Granted, with the Giants farm system not being particularly strong, there might be better offers for Rooker out there. I doubt San Francisco would sacrifice its sole MLB Top 100 prospect (Bryce Eldridge) for Rooker, even though the Athletics might demand him in a deal. This hypothetical deal gets the A's two promising prospects to add to their farm while the Giants get the offensive upside they've lacked most of the season. Who says no?" ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 15: Brent Rooker #25 of the Athletics competes in a swing-off to decide the MLB All-Star Game at Truist Park on July 15, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 15: Brent Rooker #25 of the Athletics competes in a swing-off to decide the MLB All-Star Game at Truist Park on July 15, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images Fitting Rooker into the Giants' lineup would be tough considering Rafael Devers is the team's new designated hitter, but they'd have two options. Devers could slide to first base, or Rooker could play the outfield. Either option would work perfectly for the Giants. Adding a star with the home run potential of Rooker would be huge in closing the gap on the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West. The Athletics might not want to trade Rooker, but bringing in a few talented prospects might fit their winning timeline better. The last thing to note is that this feels like a bit of an underpay. Rooker is one of the more underrated sluggers in baseball, and he's under affordable team control for a long time. The Giants would likely need to throw in another prospect to get the deal to go through. More MLB: Sandy Alcántara Blockbuster? Cubs Trade Rumors Reaching New Peak
Newsweek
19-07-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Latest Mock Trade Sends $60 Million All-Star Slugger To Loaded Dodgers
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Los Angeles Dodgers are bound to be one of the more aggressive teams at the trade deadline. They're loaded with talent, but injuries have destroyed them as much as any team in the sport. The Dodgers desperately need help in their outfield and on their pitching staff. They could look to add one of the best sluggers in the game ahead of the trade deadline. FanSided's Jake Elman recently pitched a mock trade that would send Athletics slugger Brent Rooker to the Dodgers in exchange for Bobby Miller, Logan Wagner, and Maddux Bruns. ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 14: Oneil Cruz #15 of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Brent Rooker #25 of the Athletics are introduced before the Home Run Derby at Truist Park on July 14, 2025 in Atlanta,... ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 14: Oneil Cruz #15 of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Brent Rooker #25 of the Athletics are introduced before the Home Run Derby at Truist Park on July 14, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. More Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images "As we know, the Dodgers have long since accepted they need to spend money to win championships. Rooker signed a five-year, $60 million extension in January, and the deal also contains a club option for 2030," Elman wrote. "However, the A's signed Rooker with both sides intending for him to remain a full-time DH, and he'd likely need to play left field upon potentially joining the Dodgers. "Rooker has only played 17 games in the outfield in the last two years, 13 of which came in left field. Although that isn't ideal, remember that the Dodgers' current left fielder is Michael Conforto, along with his .184 average and -0.6 bWAR." This trade would come as quite a shock. The Athletics just signed Rooker to a massive $60 million contract extension, so it's hard to imagine they'd want to cut ties with him so soon. But if he's available, the Dodgers would be the best landing spot in baseball, as long as the slugger is able to transition well to the outfield as an everyday position player rather than a designated hitter. Rooker is one of the best sluggers in baseball. Adding him to a loaded lineup like the Dodgers would make them even more dangerous than they already are. This trade seems like a long shot, but if the Athletics shop Rooker, it would make a lot of sense for the Dodgers to thrust themselves into the sweepstakes. More MLB: Boston Blockbuster? Red Sox Trade Rumors Heating Up Ahead Of Deadline
Reuters
17-07-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Drama not enough to save MLB All-Star Game from ratings dip
July 17 - The first "swing-off" in Major League Baseball All-Star Game history wasn't enough to save the Midsummer Classic from a 3 percent ratings drop. Tuesday night's game averaged a 3.8 rating and drew 7.19 million viewers on Fox, according to Nielsen, down from 7.44 million last year and the second-fewest on record for the event. It was 3 percent better than the record low of 7 million who tuned into the 2023 MLB All-Star Game. MLB's All-Star event still draws far better than its counterparts, with this year's NBA All-Star Game and the NFL's Pro Bowl Games each averaging 4.7 million viewers. Monday night's Home Run Derby drew 5.73 million viewers on ESPN. The All-Star Game itself peaked with 8.1 million viewers in the 9:15 p.m. ET quarter-hour, per making it the most-watched program on Fox since the Super Bowl. It also featured the first "swing-off" to determine the All-Star Game winner. Each player got three swings. Rooker launched two over the fence, while Stowers went 1-for-3. Arozarena then hit one, before Kyle Schwarber sent all three out to give the NL a 4-3 running lead entering the final round. Aranda then went 0-for-3, clinching the bizarre National League victory -- technically a 7-6 win -- the league's second All-Star Game triumph in three years after dropping the previous nine. A rule change in 2022 provided what was left of the 41,702 fans with a spectacle they likely weren't expecting when they entered Truist Park in Atlanta. "It was interesting," Schwarber said after being named the Phillies' first All-Star Game MVP since Johnny Callison in 1964. "Exciting, fun. There's a lot of guys who deserve this (trophy), but I'm glad it's going home with us to Philly." --Field Level Media
Reuters
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Kyle Schwarber powers NL to first 'swing-off' win at All-Star Game
July 16 - ATLANTA -- Albeit in unique -- and maybe even bizarre -- fashion, Philadelphia Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber was the National League's hero and All-Star Game MVP on Tuesday. After going 0-for-2 in the regularly scheduled event, Schwarber launched three home runs in the All-Star Game's first "swing-off," propelling the NL to a victory. The game was tied at 6 after nine innings, so the teams competed in a three-man Home Run Derby in which American League manager Aaron Boone selected Tampa Bay's Jonathan Aranda and Randy Arozarena and the Athletics' Brent Rooker, while NL manager Dave Roberts picked the New York Mets' Pete Alonso, Schwarber and Miami's Kyle Stowers. Each player got three swings. Rooker launched two over the fence, while Stowers went 1-for-3. Arozarena then hit one, before Schwarber sent all three out to give the NL a 4-3 running lead entering the final round. Aranda then went 0-for-3, clinching the bizarre National League victory -- technically a 7-6 win -- the league's second All-Star Game triumph in three years after dropping the previous nine. A rule change in 2022 provided what was left of the 41,702 fans with a spectacle they likely weren't expecting when they entered Truist Park. "It was interesting," Schwarber said after being named the Phillies' first All-Star Game MVP since Johnny Callison in 1964. "Exciting, fun. There's a lot of guys who deserve this (trophy), but I'm glad it's going home with us to Philly." Fifteen minutes or so before Schwarber hoisted the award, he lined out against Boston flamethrower Aroldis Chapman to begin the bottom of the ninth -- a stark difference of what was to come in the impromptu batting practice. "Luckily, I had just got done breaking my bat on a 100-mph sinker from Aroldis, then praying that we'd hit a walk-off home run," Schwarber laughed. "Then it was just go up there, get a new bat and get ready to take some BP." Trailing 6-0, the American League mounted a rally in the seventh, as San Diego's Adrian Morejon allowed a single to Toronto's Alejandro Kirk and Aranda's walk. San Francisco reliever Randy Rodriguez entered and surrendered Rooker's three-run homer. Kansas City's Bobby Witt Jr. later drove in the AL's fourth run on a groundout. Minnesota's Byron Buxton and Witt each doubled to pull the AL within one run against San Diego's Robert Suarez in the ninth. New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz then entered and retired the New York Yankees' Jazz Chisholm Jr. before Cleveland's Steven Kwan tied the game with an infield single. Chapman retired the side in the bottom of the ninth. The NL struck first in the home half of the first inning. Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani and hometown favorite Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. reached on singles, before Arizona's Ketel Marte laced a two-run double to right against AL starter Tarik Skubal. The Detroit Tigers' reigning Cy Young winner recorded his first strikeout by way of the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) system, Major League Baseball's experimental technology to determine balls and strikes being used in the game, retiring San Diego's Manny Machado. In the sixth, after the Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr. walked and St. Louis' Brendan Donovan singled, Alonso belted a three-run blast off Kansas City's Kris Bubic to give the National League a 5-0 advantage. It appeared Alonso was on his way to the game's MVP before the American League's rally, and he still might have had a chance had his turn arrived in the swing-off. "It was something that was addressed, we were asked prior," Alonso said of the swing-off. "I was in the batting cage taking swings, so I was ready if I needed to come in there and close it, but Schwarber did an unbelievable job." Detroit's Casey Mize replaced Bubic, surrendering a 414-foot solo homer to Arizona star Corbin Carroll to extend the margin to six runs. Making his second All-Star Game start in as many seasons, Pittsburgh's Paul Skenes struck out Detroit's Gleyber Torres and Riley Greene in the first before inducing Yankees slugger Aaron Judge into a groundout in the ace's lone inning. "I was throwing every pitch as hard as I could, hoping that it landed in the strike zone," Skenes said. "Every game is max effort, but I was emptying the tank a little bit more." The game marked another return to Atlanta for the Dodgers' Freddie Freeman, who took part in his ninth Midsummer Classic. As is custom for Freeman's appearances at Truist Park since departing the Braves for Los Angeles in 2022, an ovation greeted the first baseman who won a World Series with Atlanta in 2021. "I didn't know how it was going to go today. A lot of emotions," Freeman said. "I really do appreciate the moments, the 12 years I've spent here were obviously a wonderful time for me. So, to be able to have that moment with the fans was awesome." The game, which lasted three hours and 20 minutes, was the first without a winning and losing pitcher since the infamous 2002 World Series in Milwaukee, which ended in a 7-7 tie. Tuesday marked the highest-scoring game since the AL won 8-6 in 10 innings in 2018. --Jack Batten, Field Level Media
San Francisco Chronicle
16-07-2025
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
A's Brent Rooker welcomed the chance to do double All-Star HR derby duty
ATLANTA — No one ever had jumped into the box to try to settle the All-Star Game with a Home Run Derby, so it was bizarrely fitting that A's DH Brent Rooker got the first shot Tuesday at Truist Park. 'It's interesting to do two different ones in two different days,' Rooker said after the National League's derby-decided win. ' I was way more nervous for this one.' One night before, Rooker was on the wrong end of two unfortunate events in the traditional pre-All-Star Game Home Run Derby. He was shorted two pitches in the first round when his ball bucket wasn't replenished after he took two warmup pitches, then he was knocked out of that round after an announced tie on longest ball hit with eventual winner Cal Raleigh. When the league went to decimal points to determine who advanced well after the fact, Rooker was short by less than an inch. Tuesday, Rooker got to take three swings and he hit two out. Can we extrapolate that had he gotten his full complement of baseballs Monday, there's a good chance he'd have moved on? More For You Giants ace Logan Webb makes good in his second All-Star Game appearance Is A's Brent Rooker, an early out in the Home Run Derby, on Giants' radar? 'Maybe those were the extra two,' Rooker said with a smile after Tuesday's tiebreaker round. 'They just counted tonight.' He'd never hit off Yankees coach Travis Chapman until about two minutes before the homer-off started, taking about eight swings off him in the cage. Rooker was in the middle of everything in the game, too. He belted a three-run homer off Giants reliever Randy Rodriguez, then was pinch-hit for late in the game. He was hanging out outside the clubhouse with his family before suddenly sprinting back inside — he had to get warmed up for a possible home-derby, the All-Star Game's version of penalty kicks. This was unprecedented. The plan was put in place three years ago, but hadn't been needed until the American League rallied for two runs in the ninth Tuesday, and Rooker was one of the few who knew what was going on. AL manager Aaron Boone told him the day before he needed to stick around after coming out of the game just for this eventuality. 'I said, 'Yeah, absolutely, sounds cool, sounds like a good time,'' Rooker said. On the National League side, there was a lot of confusion, according to Giants pitcher Robbie Ray, who like teammate Logan Webb stayed for the whole thing. Many of the starters had left the stadium by then, which is why the derby didn't feature Shohei Ohtani or Aaron Judge. Ray saw the 'L screen' used for batting practice being readied and thought: 'What is going on right now?' Then NL manager Dave Roberts said in the ninth, '' So, guys, you won't believe this: if the game ends in a tie right now, I pre-selected three guys for a home-run derby.' Nobody knew. We were like, 'Is this really how this is going to happen?' It was definitely wild.' Webb only knew the NL was out of pitchers and he said, jokingly, he'd considered volunteering to go back in for extra innings. (He pitched a scoreless third.) When Webb found out how it was being decided, what he really wanted to do, given his one career homer, was volunteer to hit in the derby, 'but I think Buster (Posey) would probably call somebody,' he said with a laugh. The NL, knowing they had Kyle Schwarber and Pete Alonso in their corner, figured they were in good shape. Schwarber was the only man to homer on all three of his swings, and that was the difference. He was named the MVP. 'I told him, 'You're just cool,'' Webb said. 'It seems like he's always there in the big moment.' Webb, joshingly, would like to lobby for this to decide all extra-inning games. 'I have got a group text with a couple other players around baseball, and they said that we should never play an extra-innings game again,' Webb said. 'We should always end games just like that.'
